It's World Materialism Day.... When people would rather immerse themselves in hard matter than prepare to enter the spiritual kingdom.

submitted by In-the-clouds from (self.whatever)

sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun
you are viewing a single comment's thread.

view the rest of the comments →

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

The basics that all people need for their physical bodies: food, water, clothing.... those things most of us have and so we are not considered "needy", physically speaking, by the Lord. The needy are those who lack these things, and we that have extra could help them. Instead, most of us bought Christmas presents for people who were not lacking their basic needs, while those who are lacking their basic needs have been marginalized.

[–]no_u 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Although we can perhaps agree that materialistic consumption in the US is at times extreme during the Christmas season, there is a very important, global, complex 100,000+ year-old gift-giving tradition, which merged with Christianity centuries ago. Thus whereas gifts for the needy are valued by God and community, it's also important for the community to give gifts on occasion, for many reasons. When the 3 wise men brought gifts for Jesus, did he need them? That's arguable, but the reason for that part of his story is closer to that of traditional custom than it is to helping the needy. It's the custom in many traditions to arrive at a new place or someone's home with gifts, even if they're relatively basic.

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Has it already been 100,000 years? The first man, Adam, was here only in the last 6,000 years or so....

I like your idea of giving gifts when visiting someone's home. But people visit homes every day all over the world and yet only feel compelled by the Christmas tradition to visit and bring a package, many times under stressful conditions. It would be more sincere if someone visited and brought a gift when traditions did not compel them to do so. These are forced gifts, and not coming from the heart. If someone visits me, I would not want them to feel like they had to give me something. A gift is only valued by God when it is done with a pure motive, from the heart.

The gifts brought to the baby Jesus and his parents were presented by the wise men that one time, not yearly, as far as I know. And the gifts were for Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords. At Christmas, he's the only one nowadays that does not get a gift. Everyone else indulges themselves and their own, while neglecting the Savior who died for them on the cross.

[–]no_u 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Genesis avoids dates, which is important in that specific Hebrew tradition.

Gift-giving is a very old, global, complex tradition that cannot be reduced to the comments you make in the second statement. It's false.

Gifts of the 3 wise men relate to the prophesies and traditions of that time, where gift-giving was a common tradition for special occasions and events.

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The Bible is a detailed historical record giving the genealogy from the first man Adam until the Savior Jesus, including the age of each father when they had their firstborn son. Using simply arithmetic we can calculate how long ago it was when the first man made in the image of God was created on this earth, which was less than 7,000 years ago.

You say my second statement is false, but perhaps you misunderstood me, or I was not clear. I am not saying Christmas is the only occasion when people feel compelled to give a gift. Birthday parties bring the same expectations, and there are other like traditions. I am saying that because it is Christmas, and for that reason only, do many people feel compelled to give a present and visit each other at that time of the year, but otherwise in their heart they do not want to, but are compelled because of that tradition. Of course there are other traditional expectations where people again feel compelled, like baby shower gifts, house warming gifts, wedding shower gifts... People give out of expectation, and rarely give because they actually love the person who receives the gift, and they hope to receive similar gifts when it is their turn. It's selfish giving, and traditions enforce it, making it difficult for people to break free and give out of love whenever they want to.